And another thing

I wanted to give Ben something special last month as a thank you for all the work he’d put in on Ruby Red Lipstick. This wasn’t a bottle of champagne – or prosecco – time. (Aside from anything else, he doesn’t drink.) I wanted it to be something personal. I’d been planning to give him a copy of Rum Do, but then he told me at one of our rehearsals that he no longer read novels. Okay, scratch that. What could it be?

And then I remembered. There was one of my watercolours that he’d particularly liked. I’d got a thumbs up from him for all of them, but there was one that got a heart. Went back through the album to check. It was this one.

Problem solved. I wrote a message on the back, put it in an envelope and gave it to him before the final performance. He was absolutely delighted. And, it seemed, a bit nonplussed. Said he’d have to get my present to me later. Suspect the idea of a present hadn’t occurred to him. Oh, well. I was just glad that he seemed genuinely thrilled with my painting. 

Roll on Tuesday and my first guitar lesson. When we got into his flat he said there was something for me on the desk. I wish I’d had my phone/camera with me. I would have loved to get a photo. Sitting on the desk were two brown paper packages tied up with string, which genuinely is one of my favourite things. I unwrapped them and this is what I found.

First, I thanked him profusely. And then I said, “Oh, Ben, what have you done?” He asked what I meant and I told him. 

I’d first taken the watercolour course ten years ago (actually it was more like twelve) and had decided on impulse last winter to take it again. In between those two classes, not once had I picked up a brush. 

He just smiled and said, “Well, now you have to, don’t you?” 

Yes, indeed. Now I have to.

Which is, I suppose, a good thing as I’ve got the rest of the year spreading out in front of me with a lot of empty space to fill where a panto would normally go. There isn’t going to be one this year (lack of script, lack of capacity) and the play we’re likely to be doing in the autumn has no role (on or off stage) for me.

Perhaps between the guitar and painting I can fill some of that time.